


What Else Could I Do? Part Two

by Sculder (Philer4Ever)



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Advice, Embarrassment, F/M, Florence Nightingale Effect, Fox Mulder Angst, One-Sided Attraction, Scully's Cancer, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-22 12:39:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13167105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Philer4Ever/pseuds/Sculder
Summary: Mulder gets advice from a surprising source and has a change of heart.





	What Else Could I Do? Part Two

J. Edgar Hoover Building  
Garage

Mulder parked his car in the garage and sat for a few minutes trying to get back some of the determination he had moments ago. He took in a deep breath, expelled it and got out of the car. Forcefully, he walked into the building and went up to Skinner’s office. Mulder took another deep breath before placing his hand on the knob and opening the door. He turned his back to close the door and when he turned around, his heart skipped a beat. He stared, wide eyed at his partner, who was sitting in the waiting area, obviously waiting for him to arrive. She approached him. 

“Mulder, we need to talk,” Scully said, her voice desperate. Mulder looked over at Kimberly, who was pretending to be working on her computer. He saw the side glances she was giving both of them.

“Scully, not now. I need to talk to Skinner,” he said as he tried to get past her but she was blocking the way.

“No, Mulder-- we need to talk first,” she said adamantly. “I know about the fax.” 

Mulder looked down at her in shock. **Jesus, I just faxed it to him this morning. How could she know about it already? Did Skinner call her to his office as soon as he got it?**

“Mulder,” she said, her tone calmer, “we really need to talk before you do something you’ll regret.” She was now looking up into his eyes. 

Mulder swallowed then glanced at Kimberly, who was no longer trying to hide her concern. “Kimberly, let him know I’ll be in to see him shortly-- thanks.” 

She nodded and Mulder looked down at Scully saying, “Okay, but let’s talk in our office so we won’t be disturbed.” 

The partners walked out the door and towards the elevator. They were the only two in the elevator and they remained silent. After getting out of the elevator, they kept silent all the way to their office. When they both went inside and closed the door, the conversation began. Before Mulder had reached his desk, Scully was laying into him.

“Mulder, what is this about you faxing Skinner your resignation? He called me into his office to ask me about it and I didn’t know a damned thing!” She was now looming over his desk, both hands on her hips.

Mulder sat behind his desk without removing his jacket. He clasped his hands, trying to assume a posture of calm as he looked up sheepishly at his ex-partner. 

“Mulder, I asked you a question and I expect an answer,” she said in an ever-growing angry tone. 

Mulder had been dreading this moment but he knew it had to come sooner or later. Of course, he’d rather it be later but the time had come and he had to give her an explanation. He owed her that much.

“Scully, I had to do this. I...” He kept his eyes down, avoiding eye contact. 

Scully noticed Mulder was struggling to answer the question so she decided to help him out a little. “Mulder,” she asked calmly, “Does this have anything to do with what happened in the car yesterday?” 

Mulder looked up at Scully, praying he could keep the blood from rushing to his face. “No, Scully-- at least not entirely,” he answered, leaning on his desk with his head in his hands. 

“Then what is it, Mulder? What on earth could make you want to give up the X-Files? Not to mention leave me.” She searched his eyes for the answer.

Mulder didn’t want her searching his eyes for anything. He could hardly bare her looking at him at all. When she looked at him in a certain way, he melted. He could deny her nothing. She was giving him that look right now, so he could only give her what she wanted: the truth. 

“You, Scully. It’s you.” His answer was practically a whisper but she heard him, loud and clear.

“Me? What do you mean, Mulder?” she asked, showing Mulder the hurt in her eyes. 

He turned away from those eyes that promised to sear a burning hole in his heart. He got up to pace as he tried to tell her the truth, being very careful to not hurt her anymore. “Scully, for a very long time now, I’ve been having a hard time with something. It’s been really hard for me to concentrate on my work.” He glanced at her and saw she was listening intently, so he took a deep breath and continued: “The incident in the car was just the end result of stuff that was happening inside me for a long time.” 

Scully had a frown on her face. “Mulder, are you saying all of this is because of me? I’m keeping you from concentrating and I’m the cause of what happened to you in the car yesterday?” Scully asked, not believing the questions she found herself asking. 

“Yes, Scully,” he answered, not being able to hide his embarrassment. 

She went over and sat in the chair in front of his desk. “Mulder, how long has this been going on? When did it start?” she asked, wide eyed.

Mulder went to sit back down behind his desk. “Scully, to be honest, it was after you had cancer.” 

Scully’s frown returned. “You mean it was my getting cancer that made all of this happen?” she asked, confusion written all over her face.

Mulder let out a slight snicker. “No, Scully. It’s not that simple. After you were diagnosed with cancer, I began to see you differently. You became vulnerable and needy. You weren’t as independent as you were before and I was attracted to the fact you needed me. Do you understand?” Mulder asked, hoping she would so he wouldn’t have to explain any further.

“I’m not sure, Mulder. You’re telling me you were attracted to me because I needed you?” she asked, still quite confused.

“As sick as that sounds, yes. In my relationships with women, it’s mostly their dependence on me I found attractive. Don’t get me wrong-- I find a great body and a pretty face as attractive as the next guy but their neediness makes me feel wanted and desired. I like the feeling of giving them what they need-- in more ways than one,” he added with uncharacteristic self-confidence.

Scully watched Mulder as though he were a specimen under a microscope. “Mulder, you’re attracted to charity cases?” she asked, surprised at him.

Mulder shrugged. “I guess so but I wouldn’t call you a charity case, Scully.”

“Maybe not now Mulder but at that time, I was in pretty bad shape,” she said, reminiscing about the past. “I lost my faith. I didn’t think I would survive.” Then she looked into his eyes. “It was you who gave me my faith, Mulder. You believed I would survive. Through you I began to believe it, too. You refused to give up on finding a cure. I did depend on you for a while but not any more. I needed to regain my independence and my strength.”

“Scully, you were always strong. That’s why you survived. I thought since I was attracted to you needing me, when you stopped needing me the feelings I had would stop also.”

“But they didn’t,” Scully offered.

Mulder shook his head. “No, they didn’t. The feelings actually were intensified. Whenever I was around you...” Mulder was becoming embarrassed again. “I... uh...became...” 

“Aroused?” Scully asked, coming to the rescue again. 

Mulder nodded, not looking up at her.

Now Scully stood and began to pace the room. She came back to his desk and folded her arms. “Are you feeling aroused right now, Mulder?” she asked.

Mulder didn’t answer right away. He looked as if he were trying to figure out if he was. He glanced up at her with puppy dog eyes and nodded.

Scully began to pace again in frustration. “Christ, Mulder-- I don’t understand why this is happening to you now. You’re not taking Viagra, are you?” she asked seriously.

“No, Scully, I’m not. I don’t understand it either but the feelings I felt when you were sick won’t go away. I began to see you in a different light. I liked taking care of you, being there for you.” Then looking into her eyes, he added, “I still want that now.”

“Mulder, is it the fact you can’t control yourself when you are around me or is it your just wanting to have a relationship with me?” Scully asked.

“I think it’s a little of both. I’m infatuated with you, Scully. I think I've always have been but now it’s very intense and I can’t control myself anymore.”

“So, you’ve decided to leave-- resign from the F.B.I. because you can no longer work with me?” 

Her tone was a little sarcastic. Hearing her say it like that made it sound stupid and trivial. 

“Scully, what else could I do? If I continue to work with you under these conditions, eventually my work would suffer and I would be unable to perform because of the distraction. I would be putting our lives in danger,” Mulder said, trying to get her to understand.

“Fine, Mulder. You’re doing the right thing then. Quit, resign, leave, run. If I’m causing you to be unable to do your job anymore then you should leave. Get away from me as soon as you can,” Scully said as she walked towards the door, obviously upset. As she placed her hand on the knob, she added, with tears in her eyes, “After you’re gone, don’t bother to call me. Maybe my voice would arouse you over the phone-- I’m not into that.” 

Then she left, slamming the door behind her. Mulder sat staring at the closed door. Well, you handled that perfectly... She really understood and sympathized with you. If you did this well with her, imagine how well you’re going to do with Skinner... Mulder leaned on the desk and placed his face in his hands, shaking his head. He told Scully the truth and she was mad at him. What else could he have done? God, this was really becoming a living nightmare he wanted desperately to wake up from. He wanted things to be the same as they were before. The more he thought about it, the more lost he felt. Damn my hormones! 

He hoped Skinner would be sympathetic to him and give him the advice he needed. He also hoped he wouldn’t be too angry about the resignation. Mulder stood up and walked to the door. He felt as though he were going to his next firing squad after being shot a couple of times already. Maybe Skinner would notice the condition he was already in, take pity on him and wouldn’t consider shooting him himself. Knowing Skinner, that scenario hardly seemed likely but Mulder figured he could still hope since he had nothing else to lose. 

 

Office of A.D. Walter Skinner

Mulder arrived at Skinner’s waiting room door. He peered inside to make sure a certain red headed agent wasn’t lurking around to finish him off. When he saw the coast was clear, he walked towards Kimberly’s desk.

“Hi, Kimberly-- is he ready to see me now?” Mulder asked, giving her a pleasant smile.

Kimberly looked up from her work and smiled back at Mulder. “Good morning, Agent Mulder. The AD has been waiting for you. Go right in.”

Mulder didn’t see any sign of ‘you’re in big trouble’ on her face, so he thanked her and went inside. Skinner was sitting at his desk reading a file and did not look up when Mulder entered the office. He just told him to have a seat. As Mulder moved to sit, Skinner glanced up at him. He clearly disapproved of his choice of wardrobe.

“Agent Mulder, this is still a work day and you haven’t been officially excused from your position,” Skinner said, glaring. 

Mulder froze, bending at the waist, giving Skinner his best innocent face. Skinner sighed and grunted for him to sit down. Before beginning, he took off his glasses and rubbed between his eyes. Mulder watched for signs telling him what kind of mood he was in but he wasn’t able to read his boss’s face. Skinner put his glasses back on and reached for the sheet of paper lying on top of his desk. He threw the paper in Mulder’s direction.

“What the hell is this?” Skinner snarled.

Mulder picked up the paper-- it was his faxed resignation. He looked up from the paper to find his boss glaring at him again. Mulder had his mouth open to speak when Skinner verbally stopped him.

“Agent Mulder, did you think you could just fax this piece of shit to me and that would be it? You figured that after 5 years of service I would just let you resign without getting an explanation from you—in person?” Skinner asked in a less than pleasant voice.

Mulder opened his mouth again to reply and again was cut off. 

“I’m surprised at you, Agent Mulder. After all these years, I would have thought you would respect or trust me enough to discuss something as big as a resignation.” His tone seemed calmer, but that was only momentary.

Mulder wondered if he would be allowed to speak this time, so he quickly spoke before he was stopped again. “Sir, if I may be allowed to explain?” Mulder asked timidly.

“Go ahead, Agent Mulder. I’m eager to hear what you have to say.” Skinner said, his tone a bit too controlled. 

**Apparently not all that eager,** Mulder thought to himself. He knew he wasn’t all that eager to start the explaining, but he couldn’t put it off any longer. 

“Sir, I never meant any disrespect to you by faxing you my resignation. I knew I would eventually have to come in to explain. I just wanted you to get it before I changed my mind.”

“Before you changed your mind? What does that mean? It sounds as if you don’t want to resign-- like something is forcing you to make this decision,” Skinner said, leaning forward on his desk.

Mulder lowered his eyes for a moment then looked up at Skinner. “You’re right, Sir. I don’t want to do this-- I have to,” Mulder stated frankly.

Skinner’s expression was one big question mark. 

Mulder continued to explain: “You see, Sir, for some time now--” Mulder paused to take in a deep breath and let it out. “--I have been troubled by something and now it’s gotten out of control.” Mulder glanced at Skinner then swallowed. “Sir, ever since Agent Scully returned to work, I haven’t been able to concentrate,” Mulder admitted.

“And why is that?” Skinner asked.

Mulder wet his suddenly dry lips, staring down at his lap. “Whenever she’s around me, I get... ah... ah...” Mulder looked at Skinner for some help. He just glared at him from behind his glasses. 

**So, let’s start again, shall we..?** 

“When Scully is near me, I... ah... get ah... aroused.” Mulder glanced up at Skinner to see his reaction.

Skinner frowned asking, “You get what?!”

Mulder lowered his gaze again then sighed loudly, “I... get a...roused,” he said slowly, making sure Skinner heard it so he wouldn’t have to repeat it again. 

Skinner got up from his desk and walked around it to where Mulder was. He sat on the front watching him intensely. Mulder felt Skinner’s eyes on him and couldn’t remain quiet. 

“Sir, I didn’t want this to happen, it just does. I can’t help it. I’m sorry, Sir!”

Mulder felt all of the calm leaving his body and with no sleep, he was wondering why he wasn’t bawling his eyes out right then.

Skinner continued to watch Mulder, who was obviously in a lot of anguish over what he'd been experiencing. So, Skinner thought, **it finally happened. Mulder was opening his eyes. He was finally allowing himself to feel something.** He felt like shaking his hand to congratulate him but he knew he couldn’t do that. This was truly not the ideal situation-- Scully was his partner and being aroused by your partner was simply not allowed. 

Some in the Bureau said it was just a matter of time before something like this would happen. Skinner tried not to think too much about it. Though he always thought in another place and time, Mulder and Scully would have made a good couple but he had hoped neither one of them would discover this themselves. They made a great working team and he didn’t want to see anything destroy that but here was Mulder before him now, coming clean about what happens to him when his partner was near and his only solution for this problem was to resign. 

Mulder was nervously wringing his hands, waiting for his boss to say something.  
In a calm voice, Skinner asked, “Mulder, how long has this been going on?”

“Ever since Scully returned to work.” Mulder found it difficult to have eye contact with Skinner.

“So you became attracted to your partner after she returned from sick leave?”

Mulder nodded, keeping his head down.

“Mulder, did anything happen between the two of you while Scully was out sick?”

Mulder thought for a moment, then answered, “I think we became closer.”

“What do you mean by closer?” Skinner asked.

“Well, for the first time, she really needed me. She needed me to be there for her, to comfort her.”

“And were you?” Skinner asked, knowing the answer.

“Of course I was. If she wanted me to hold her, I did. If she wanted me to do something for her, I did it. There was nothing I wouldn’t have done for her.”  
Mulder was now looking Skinner straight in the eyes.

“So-- you began to act differently around her since she became dependent on you. You felt you had to protect her more than before. You developed new feelings for her that grew out of your need to help her through her illness.”

Mulder looked at his boss as if he were looking at someone he’d never met before in his life. Skinner actually understood. “Yes, Sir, that’s it exactly.”

Skinner smiled at the surprised look on Mulder’s face. “Mulder, you were and are experiencing what’s known as The Florence Nightingale effect. I saw it a lot when I was at the VA hospital. Nurses would fall in love with their patients. While you were caring for your ill partner, you became infatuated with her. You developed feelings you didn’t have for her before. All the compassion and concern for her well-being turned into sexual arousal-- others might call it love.”

Mulder was seriously taking in what Skinner said, but something didn’t make sense. “I’ve heard of this Sir, but I’m not Scully’s doctor or her nurse.”

“No, you’re not, Agent Mulder but you wouldn’t need to be. You were taking care of her so you were in the position of caregiver—similar enough to the role of a doctor or a nurse.”

“But Sir, she’s better now and she doesn’t need me to take care of her anymore. Why do I still feel this way about her?” he asked in a little boy voice.

“Agent Mulder, you have to give yourself time. No one can just turn off feelings like they were turning off a light-- not even you. It’s going to take some time before you begin to see Scully the way she was and when that happens, things will return to normal.”

“You mean the way I’m feeling now is only temporary? I’ll see Scully the way she was before, and not be... aroused by her? I won’t feel as though I’m in love with her anymore?” Mulder’s voice had a pleading quality to it.

“I’ve seen it before, Mulder. Once the need to take care of her is gone, your feelings will change.” 

Mulder realized this was probably true. Once his girlfriends no longer needed him, he began to feel differently about them. He didn’t seem to care about them any more. Lord knows when he gave them what they wanted, they didn’t need him anymore, either... 

But there was still a problem. “How long will it take before my feelings change?” Mulder asked.

“Christ, I can’t tell you that, Mulder. It depends on how intense your feelings are,” Skinner offered.

“Would you call getting an erection intense?” Mulder asked in his deadpan voice.

Skinner lifted an eyebrow. “Yes, Mulder, I’d say that was pretty intense. Did that happen often?” he inquired, trying to keep his voice level.

“Well, a few times and once when I was in the car with her.”

“Did Scully notice?”

“Yes, she... accidentally…grabbed me,” Mulder said, fighting to keep from blushing.

“Oh!” was all Skinner could say.

“This was why I felt I had no choice but to resign, to get as far away from her as I could. I had to—- or die from sheer embarrassment and the fact that I thought I would always feel this way around her,” Mulder told him.

“Now-- you see where you would have made a big mistake?” Skinner said with a hint of a smile.

“Yeah, I guess so. In the beginning, I was going to request a transfer but I thought about it and figured if I couldn’t have Scully as my partner, I didn’t want to continue the X-Files any more,” Mulder said in a morose tone.

Skinner nodded his head in complete agreement. 

Mulder looked into his eyes again. “Sir, what am I going to do about what happened in the car? How can I ever work with Scully again after that? And how am I going to stop this from happening again until my feelings change?” Mulder’s eyes were pleading again in the hope Skinner could give him the answers he sought.

Skinner rubbed the bridge of his nose under his glasses and moved back behind his desk. “Mulder, has anyone ever told you that you ask a lot of questions?” 

“Yeah, almost everyone,” he said flatly.

Taking in a deep breath and letting it out, Skinner attempted to answer Mulder’s questions. “Mulder, you’re just going to have to talk to Scully. If you’re honest with her like you were with me, she’ll understand what happened. The two of you have been partners for some time now. You should be able to talk things out.”

“I hope so because after we spoke today, she left angry.”

“She was probably angry because you didn’t say anything to her before you made the decision to resign. I felt the same way when you walked in here. Mulder, the people who care about you want you to talk to them when you’re having problems. You don’t need to handle these things alone.” Skinner’s tone was almost paternal.

“But Sir, you have to agree I couldn’t have talked to Scully about this!” Mulder exclaimed, feeling a little flushed.

“Okay, but you could have come and talked it over with me. I do have other functions other than reaming out wayward agents, you know,” he said with a hint of humor.

Mulder had to smile himself at that last remark. 

“And Agent Mulder,” Skinner continued, ”the thing about you getting another erection again when you’re near her—well, it might happen again or it might not. If you feel you’re becoming aroused, think of something unpleasant or remove yourself from the situation. Go take a walk and if that doesn’t work, excuse yourself and apply an ice pack or one of those thermal freezing packs. They’re usually in emergency kits in case of injury.” 

He looked at Mulder, whose stunned expression seemed to be asking, ‘Apply... what???’ 

“Yes, Mulder, you heard me-- and don’t even think about asking me how I know this will work.”

Mulder looked wide eyed at Skinner, shaking his head from side to side.

Skinner glanced at his watch. “Now-- if there’s nothing else, Agent Mulder, I have another meeting I have to prepare for.”

Mulder nodded as he rose from his chair. Skinner picked up the resignation letter Mulder left on the desk. “Agent Mulder, what do you want me to do with this?” he asked, holding it up.

Mulder turned around as he approached the door. “I guess you could do the same thing you did to my last resignation letter-- tear it up,” Mulder said with a smile as he opened the door and walked out.

Skinner held the letter, shaking his head then proceeded to tear it into as many pieces as he could. Then he leaned over and dropped them into the wastepaper basket. He looked up as his door opened again.

“Oh, Sir-- I forgot to say thank you. I really appreciate everything you said to me,” Mulder said, leaning half way inside the office.

“Don’t mention it, Agent Mulder. Just do what I said-- and talk to your partner.”

“I will, Sir. Thank you, Sir.” And Mulder disappeared behind the door and out of sight. 

Skinner smiled to himself then prepared for his next meeting.

 

Office of Special Agent Fox Mulder

Mulder hurried down to his office, hoping Scully would be there. He opened the door and peered inside. She was next to his desk reading a file, apparently oblivious to him entering. He turned around to close the door, and when he turned back, she was watching him. Their eyes locked for a moment. Mulder couldn’t take it any more and looked away. He was feeling guilty for not talking to Scully before he made his decision to resign. After all, she was his partner and best friend. She deserved to know if he was going to leave her. 

Mulder slowly walked over to Scully, who was now standing. He looked into her eyes, determined not to look away this time. 

“Scully, I’m so sorry I didn’t have the courage to talk to you about my problem. I was just afraid. I didn’t know how you would react and I was also really ashamed of myself.” He looked away again.

Scully reached up and held his face, forcing him to look at her. “Mulder, I can’t believe you would actually think about resigning without talking to me first.” She let the hurt be heard in her voice.

Mulder removed Scully’s hand from his face and held it in both his hands.  
He stared into her eyes. “Scully, you have no idea what I’ve been going through since you returned to work. Have you heard of The Florence Nightingale effect?” Mulder asked.

“Yes-- that’s when a nurse or doctor falls in love with their patient.”

“Or a caregiver” he said, letting go of her hand.

“Don’t tell me you believe you had this?” She tried to cover the humor that she was feeling. 

“Yes, I do, Scully. Think about it. My feelings of love or arousal started when I was with you in the hospital. It continued after you came back. Before you got sick, I wasn’t feeling like this.” Mulder was now sitting on the edge of his desk.

“So, you think when you were with me in the hospital you began to fall in love with me-- and this was because you were caring for me?” she asked carefully, listening to her own words.

“Yes, Scully. This is the only explanation I have for what has happened.”

“Okay, Mulder-- say this is the reason. What are you going to do about it? Resign?” Scully tried not to sound too sarcastic.

Mulder got up from the desk and placed his hands on his hips. “No, Scully, that’s the best part. I don’t have to leave now because these feelings are only temporary. I’m not sure how long it will take but I’ll soon begin to see you the way you were before you got sick and not have these feelings any more.” Mulder had an eager glint in his eye, but soon it would be gone.

Scully got up from her desk and walked past Mulder, obviously not sharing his good mood. She turned to face him, watching as the glint was replaced with anxiety. Scully sighed then she spoke. 

“Mulder,” she said, beginning to pace, “I still don’t know why your only solution to this was to resign. Would you’ve actually left me because of this?” Scully was desperately trying to hold back the tears were threatening to come. She searched his eyes.

Mulder heard the pain in her words and each one was like a punch to his stomach. He suddenly felt queasy. He walked over to stand directly in front of her. Looking down into her moist eyes, he said, “Scully, I didn’t know what else to do. I didn’t want to leave but I couldn’t stay with the way I was feeling. I really couldn’t concentrate on the work any more. I didn’t know how to control myself. You saw what happened in the car. Christ, how could I have ignored that and kept on working? It would have been impossible. I was afraid something horrible would have happened eventually if I had stayed. I felt I would be putting us in danger. For your sake and mine, I thought the only solution was to leave.”

“What about now, Mulder? What are you going to do until the feeling wears off?” 

“Well, I could think of something unpleasant, like CSM or I could just leave, no-- I don’t mean leave. I mean remove myself from the situation...” **Good save, Mulder...** “When it starts happening, I could go take a walk,” he said, definitely not volunteering to tell her the other suggestion.

Scully frowned, asking, “That’s all you have to do-- take a walk and it would go away? I’ve heard maybe applying something cold would do the trick, like one of those cold packs-- but don’t ask me where I heard that because I won’t tell you,” she said, with a warm smile gracing her lips.

Mulder, too, was wearing a warm smile but not for the same reason. He stepped closer towards Scully, holding the sides of her face. “Scully, I think my condition was clouding my judgment when I made the decision to resign. I promise I won’t make any more decisions like that without talking to you first. Okay? Can you forgive me?” he asked, brushing the hair away from her face.

“Yes, of course I can forgive you Mulder-- just don’t let it happen again,” she threatened playfully.

“It won’t,” he said, removing his hands from her face, then rummaging through his desk drawer.

“Mulder, what are you looking for?” she asked, moving closer to his desk.

Without stopping his ransacking, he asked, “Scully, where is that emergency kit we keep in the office?”

Looking puzzled, she offered, “I think it’s in the file cabinet next to the window. Why?”

Closing his desk drawer, he rushed over to the cabinet, opened it and pulled out the kit. After opening it, he looked to see if what he needed was inside. “I’ll be right back,” Mulder said, closing the kit and the drawer, then quickly walking to the door.

“Mulder-- where are you going?” she asked, still puzzled at her partner’s behavior.

“No where—uh, I’ll be back,” he said, opening the door and dashing out.

Scully stood watching the closed door for a moment shaking her head. Poor Mulder. She realized he must have gotten aroused and had to use the cold pack in the emergency kit to get rid of his erection. Scully sat back down and leaned on Mulder's desk to wait for him to return. She tried to figure out how she was going to avoid staring at his crotch the moment he walked through the door. Now a grin had replaced the smile and Scully realized she’d better change her frame of mind. She leaned off the desk and took out the file she was reading of the current case they were working on. Scully knew if she didn’t get her mind off of Mulder’s situation, she, too, would be in need of a cooling down. Smiling to herself again, she pretended to read the file until he returned.

 

The End


End file.
